Federal appeals court to hear arguments on Utah flag desecration law News
Federal appeals court to hear arguments on Utah flag desecration law

[JURIST] A special session of the 10th US Circuit Court of Appeals meeting at the University of Utah [official website] Wednesday will hear arguments about a Utah state law that prohibits the desecration of the US flag [official text]. Several different individuals are challenging the law's constitutionality, alleging that Salt Lake County officials acted against the US Supreme Court ruling in Texas v. Johnson [text] which held that a similar law was unconstitutional. Salt Lake County Attorney David Yocom has alleged that the plaintiffs challenging the law lack standing, as one man was never prosecuted, and the charge against the other was dropped. AP has more.

THIS DAY @ LAW

Dreyfus convicted of treason

On December 22, 1894, Jewish French army officer Alfred Dreyfus was convicted of treason in a court-martial trial that prompted worldwide allegations of anti-Semitism. Dreyfus was later cleared. Learn more about the case of Alfred Dreyfus and read an English translation of the famous public letter J'Accuse...! by novelist and Dreyfus partisan Emile Zola.

US passed Embargo Act, banning foreign trade

On December 22, 1807, the Embargo Act was passed at the urging of US President Thomas Jefferson. The act barred trade with any foreign nations in an effort to avoid American entry into the Napoleonic Wars of Europe. However, the act proved unenforceable and was replaced with the Non-Intercourse Act, which barred trade with France and Great Britain. Learn more about the Embargo Act of 1807 from Monticello.org